Gathering at the behest of the Hope Search and Rescue team, members of SAR teams from across the Fraser Valley gathered on Saturday to help locate a backcountry skier who’d become separated from their party. (Facebook)

Backcountry skier rescued after getting lost near Coquihalla Summit

The skier was reported missing Saturday afternoon and was located early Sunday morning

It’s typically never good when the Hope Search and Rescue (HSAR) is kept as busy as they were this past weekend. But after an eventful 15 hours, the HSAR team was happy to announce they’d achieved the “best outcome ever” when finally managing to rescue a skier who was reported missing in the backcountry off Highway 5.

On Saturday afternoon, the HSAR team received a call about a missing backcountry skier who had become separated from their party on Zoa Peak.

“A couple of HSAR members quickly deployed with Valley Helicopters to see if they could spot the missing (skier) before nightfall, but unfortunately, members were unable to locate the person,” the SAR team reported on their Facebook.

To double their search efforts, HSAR members also began creating a staging area at Falls Lake. “With falling temperatures, boots on the ground were essential,” so mutual aid was requested, and the local team was soon joined by members from Chilliwack SAR, Nicola Valley SAR, Kent/Harrison SAR, and the Central Fraser Valley SAR.

Joining forces worked, and around 3:30 a.m., the missing skier was located, “but extremely cold. The team worked to warm (the skier) with blankets and hot packs” before they were able to arrange transportation back to the staging area.

Needless to say, the multiple members of the various Fraser Valley SAR teams “were eagerly met with big, thankful hugs,” and can record another successful rescue in the books.

For more information on the Hope Search and Rescue team, please visit their website at HopeSAR.vr-sar.org.